Thursday, 22 November 2012

Do you have a theme in mind for this year's festive season? have you started decorating your home already? I haven't, this is the busiest time of the year for chocolate creative – lately I look like father xmas in disguise on my many runners to the post office – but I will start from next weekend. I am not sure of having a xmas tree (Maybe I will make one with some knobs and hooks) as I am flying home on the 23rd, but I will decorate around the house with my own handmade decorations, cushions, etc...plus some other nice things, and wood sticks if I find them in my local park. Above some of my products at my shop.

Tuesday, 13 November 2012

I met stylist Caroline from the Trend Daily blog while exhibiting last year at 100% design in London. Lost the business card she gave me and I couldn't check her blog at the time, so I am glad to have met her again and again as I finally got to see her work and chat. I really like her photos and the way she put together everyday things, plants, seeds, dried leaves, vintage finds, etc...

She did Holly Becker's e-course 'Blogging Your Way' and has since them made her blog into a visual on-line diary of anything that inspires her from around her house, tear sheets from magazines, pictures, food, etc...No bad photos for someone who took her old DSLR and self-taught how to use it. If you have enjoyed these photos, pop around her blog, the inspiration is endless. You can see the progression in her work, and how her style keep evolving and her photos get better and better, that is something I like about blogs, the same with mine or anyone else, sometimes I like looking back to what bloggers did post about it when they first started and how different they do things now. I like bloggers that create their own content, a good mix of unique personal photos with some other good general content, I get very easily bored of keep seeing the same images over and over again...

Love the desk by the window, that light coming through, and the flower arrangement.

Monday, 12 November 2012

Nice weekend? I hope so, mine was good, not very busy and spent with friends. As often as I can I like taken Saturdays morning slow, specially after a busy week. There is nothing I love more than sleeping in, having a good breakfast, (not necessary a very healthy one), and get a coffee and my magazines to seat in front of my window to read and browse the pages for hours. I spend quite a bit of money of publications, I can't help it, magazine I see and like, magazine I buy, I justify it saying it is for work. I see these magazines more like mini books, full of information that I keep coming back, gorgeous photos, inspiring articles and stories, amazing interiors and products, craft projects, etc...I have piles of them at home, both in London and Gran Canaria, and lately in Gassy's house.

In my recent trip to Spain I had the luck of finding the Kireei magazine, a new title that focus on creative people and their business, design, illustration, children, music and much more. A magazine that started as only digital and became a printed one from the second issue. I LOVE IT!

The Simple Things magazine is another great one, sister to the Mollie Makes. If you haven't seen it yet, please do get a copy, the current issue is a must! This two British titles are a good example of how despite the digital era taken over traditional publishing, there is still a place for printed good quality magazines. And last but not least the French magazine/book Milk. What these titles have in common is quality of content, paper, photography, entrepreneurs, and a focus on past values such as handmade, craft, being sustainable and creative around your house and life in general. Thank you magazines for existing and giving me so much joy, I will keep supporting you!.

Thursday, 8 November 2012

I love when customers send me photos of what they do with the products they buy from my shop. I recently sold 33 hooks to a previous customer who has got a house in Ibiza, and did already buy quite a few of them, I am dying to see how she has decorated the place with some many hooks...

Jilke from the Netherlands bought some white plain hooks, which she then went on to customise with her on photo. She initially ask if I did bespoke, but I said no, simply because there is not way I could cope with bespoke services, plus the rest of things. I can see why people would like to apply their own images though, as they are very versatile. She has done a great job not just with the hook but with the nursery, don't you think?

She makes this nice cushions of foxes and deers, find her shop at etsy.

It is always very nice to see my products being featured in the press, and specially in some of my favorite magazines and blogs. It is part of my job to contact the press and keep them updated of what we do at chocolate creative, but I must admit that is not the task I love doing the most, as sometimes I can spend hours and days sending emails that seems to be hitting a wall and not going anywhere. The bellow photos are a clear example of press coverage that I was not directly involved in getting.

Some magazines approach me, like the German title COUCH, which I totally love, it is a small format publication full of ideas for home and fashion and the gorgeous Living at home magazine. Sometimes stylists or journalists get in touch such as Joanna Thornhill, who was looking for one of the wooden knobs to finish her cupboard project for a feature on Womansweekly magazine.

The Livingetc (October) piece almost gave a heart attack, I have just received the Elle deco and Living on the post on a Saturday morning and as I was going through the pages I was thinking – another issue without my products in it – that after spending half a week contacting them, imaging my surprise as 5 minutes later I happen to spot the wooden knobs in one of the pages, I cried, I cried of frustration for seeing that the products are worth of the best magazines and still I don't get much respond when approaching them. I guess they will listen much more to a PR company that writes eye catching press releases than to a Spanish speaker who is doing her best to promote her UK based brand with no budget yet for PR. So thank you from a happy designer who appreciates the importance of press helping in spreading the word about my work and the brand. What is your experience with the press? tips welcome!!